MEERUT, March 3 -- The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has informed the Central Information Commission (CIC) that it possesses no records indicating whether the Jama Masjid in Sambhal was built after demolishing an earlier structure or on vacant land, nor does it hold documents identifying the landowner at the time of the mosque's construction, said to be in 1526. The disclosure came in response to a right to information (RTI) application filed by Sambhal-based lawyer Satya Prakash Yadav, who sought details about the Mughal-era mosque's origins, including whether it replaced any prior ruins, the name of the landowner at the time and documentary proof granting ownership rights. In its written reply, the ASI stated that "no such information is available in this office." The applicant also asked about the nature of structures present at the site when it was taken under government protection, any subsequent constructions and records of past disputes linked to the mosque. The ASI responded that it had no such information on file. However, during first appeal proceedings, the agency cited a 2018 incident to clarify regulatory enforcement at the monument. It stated that no new construction is permitted within the protected area of a centrally protected monument and disclosed that an allegedly illegal steel railing was being erected at the site that year. The department said it had issued orders to halt the work. On the question of the mosque's construction period, the ASI said its records indicate that it was built in 1526 and referred to supporting material. It also noted that the structure has been protected under the same name since it was brought under its care in 1920 through a gazette notification. Responding to another query, the ASI stated that the structure "at present. exists as a mosque." During the hearing, the appellant argued that key information had been wrongly denied on grounds of non-availability. The ASI maintained that it had provided all material on record and could not be compelled to create or collect information it does not maintain. Upholding this position, the commission observed that the RTI law obliges public authorities to disclose only existing records and does not require them to generate fresh information. Citing judicial precedents, it said authorities cannot be directed to furnish data they do not hold. The Sambhal mosque has been at the centre of a legal dispute over its history following a petition claiming it was built over an ancient Hindu temple. The issue drew nationwide attention after riots erupted in Sambhal on November 24, 2024, during protests against a court-ordered ASI survey of the structure, leaving four people dead and several others, including police personnel, injured. Finding no grounds for further intervention, the commission dismissed the appeal, holding that the ASI's replies -- including its statement of having no records on whether the mosque was built over ruins or vacant land -- were in accordance with the law. Yadav said, "I had filed an RTI application in 2021 seeking details about the Jama Masjid from the ASI. The most recent hearing was conducted by the CIC on February 23, 2026. I now look forward to the ASI furnishing all the available information as required."...